In a robust enforcement of the election gun ban, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) in Central Luzon reported the seizure of 101 firearms and the arrest of 103 individuals between January 12 and January 28, 2025. PRO3 Chief Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo highlighted the operation’s success during a press briefing on January 30, emphasizing the diverse methods used to recover the weapons, including 38 at checkpoints, 21 through police responses, 39 in buy-bust operations, and three from other law enforcement activities.
Of those arrested, 98 were civilians, while the remaining included four security guards and one member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Fajardo stressed the importance of these actions in safeguarding the public, stating, “Each illegal firearm we remove from circulation reduces the risk to our community’s safety.”
The gun ban, enforced under Comelec Resolution 10918, prohibits the carrying of firearms and deadly weapons in public during the election period, which spans from January 12 to June 11, 2025. This regulation applies to all, including licensed gun owners and law enforcement officers, unless they possess a Certificate of Authority issued by the Comelec.